The beautiful, eclectic and inspiring Manhattan loft of Japanese-born Kazumi Yoshida, an artist and designer who has worked for the venerable textile firm Clarence House for over 30 years. Love. Read more about his wonderful home here in Elle Decor.

Christian and Anja Oxholm Sonne's loft apartment is a far cry from the usual well behaved white loft — wandering around their home, you'll meet a leopard carpet, disco balls, a bass drum decorously acting as a coffee table and a lifesize bronze tiger for starters. Joining the mix is a bar from a since closed café and two leather chairs that Christian bought from a member of the band Black Sun. The one area that is a little more serious is the kitchen — not surprising as Christian and Anja run a catering company together, called Sonne's Kitchen. This is definitely a creative and endlessly inspiring space — how fun would a dinner invite here be? More photos here on Boligmagasinet.

Love this. From kottke.org: "Jealous of all the attention garnered by Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue, Tyler Green of Modern Art Notes decided to compile his own swimsuit publication. Here's a sample from a Mr. P. Picasso."

This week's links. Enjoy.Lost Daphne du Maurier Stories DiscoveredI love a good book sleuthing story. Bookseller Ann Willmore, co-owner of a bookshop in du Maurier's home town of Fowey in Cornwall, discovered the stories in long forgotten short story collections.

The Rise of Vintage Technology CollectingThe recent sale of an Apple 1 computer for $212,267 during an auction at Christie’s in London changed everything in the market of technology collecting — what was once readily available on eBay is now becoming increasingly rarified. A look at the hottest new area of collecting.

A (Shockingly) Short History of HelloEver wonder why we say "hello" when we answer the phone? Now you can find out why — though I must confess that I'm rather partial to Mr. Burns's "Ahoy - hoy?" on The Simpsons.

Zing But No AlcoholThere's been an upsurge of interest recently in restaurants creating nonalcoholic cocktails that are actually interesting to drink — great news for designated drivers, or for those who simply don't care to drink. So nice to have options instead of the usual soda water or pop.

Exploring the Wmagazine site, I came across this tantalizing glimpse inside the spectacularly beautiful Castel Gardena, an austere 17th-century castle among the peaks of the Dolomites. Built in 1616 by the counts Wolkenstein of Austria, it was rescued by the aristocratic Franchetti family after World War I, and has served as their summer retreat ever since. The chapel (first photo) is decorated with heraldic crests, baroque plaster reliefs and religious icons, while most of the bedrooms in the castle have an antique bed and a brightly-colored tiled stove, a traditional Alpine feature. The bedroom of Andrea Franchetti (second photo) is pine-paneled in the Alpine Renaissance style. Wish we could see more of this lovely castle! Wmagazine article is here.

Connie of 100 Applegate has been busy restocking her gorgeous shop with more of her stunning vintage jewelry, such as this lovely little Creme Anglaise Ring, a vintage 1960s creamy pearl and rhinestone twist cocktail ring. Perfect for a night out, when you want to feel a little extra glamorous! Find more unique and wonderful pieces here.

Linda of the wonderful etsy shop Odd and Old not only has an amazing eye for vintage French loveliness — she's also an illustrator. Before moving to France, Linda was based in London, where she freelanced, exhibited her work and taught illustration at the London College of Printing. Now she's adding another hat to the one of France-based English antiques dealer — she's opened a brand new section of her shop dedicated to her original collage work, where you can find lovely one of a kind pieces such as L'Alphabet, shown here. Choosing what to buy from her shop just got even harder!

White Moth Jewelry has exciting new collections out! The Vintage Utility Collection and U.S.S.R Collections feature such beautiful pieces as this Vintage Russian Stamp on a 30" Brass Chain ($225 US), which is not only lovely but a real conversation starter, too! Discover more of their unique and exciting pieces at their online shop here.

Photographer Sze Tsung Leong's stunning images remind me of the Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire — they appear to be taken by a quiet observer hovering gently over the world below. His new exhibition at the Yosi Millo Gallery in New York runs until April 2 2011 — if you can't make the show, check out the gallery website to view more of his beautiful work. Via Design Observer.

The Berlin apartment of German set designer Sylvester Kozioleks is a sharp contrast to the trend of white-painted lofts — here almost every surface is black, from the floor up. But what might have been mere gloom is enlivened by Sylvester's collections — wood midcentury modern furniture, decorative pieces from the 1920s Bauhaus period and lamps in Murano glass, which glow beautifully against the dark background. Technology (a computer and a TV) are discreetly hidden away in a cupboard — Sylvester doesn't like machines. Dramatic in approach (unsurprisingly for someone who works in theatre and film), it's a way of decorating that focuses the eye — just as a black velvet-lined jewel box displays to advantage a beautiful necklace. More here on mixr.se.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Happy weekend! Hope it's a lovely one. The weather is going to be a bit of a mess for us here (rain mixed with snow) so we're thinking it might be a good time to stay inside and try something new — bread making from scratch. What are you up to this weekend?